MAHABALA, Sida rhombifolia

Latin name: Sida rhombifolia

English name: Cuban jute, Jelly leaf, Queensland hemp

Sanskrit name: Mahabala

Indian name: Sahadeva

Medicinal parts used: Seeds, Leaves, Roots

Sida rhombifolia is an erect, branched shrub reaching 0.5 to 1.5 meters in height. Leaves are oblong to rhomboid, 1 to 4 cm long, the apex rounded or pointed, the margins toothed, and the lower surface covered with very short pale hairs. Flowers occur singly in the axil of the leaves. Calyx is green. Corolla is yellow, about 1.5 cm diameter. Fruit has 8 to 10 carpels which are smooth or somewhat wrinkled, about 2.5 mm long and awned.

These are weeds very common in India and Sri Lanka in the dry country.

Therapeutic use:

Leaves and roots are used for piles, gonorrhoea, anti-soud, diuretic and aphrodisiac.

Stems abound in mucilage and are employed as demulcents and emollients both for external and internal use.

The herb is also useful in calculous troubles and as a febrifuge with pepper.

Mucilage is used for scorpion sting.

Australian Aborigines use the herb to treat diarrhea.

Leaves are smoked in Mexico and a tea is prepared in India for the stimulation it provides.

The leaf extracts act as an antiarthritic drug and alleviates inflammation and pain.